Page 139 of Watched

“Only she’ll have the privilege of knowing that.”

I bring Rain’s hand to my mouth, kissing his knuckles. “I love you.”

Tears blur his eyes. “I love you too, baby.” They flick to my white shirt and blue jeans. “You gave me a bath. How long have I been here?”

“Almost three days.”

“Pretty boy refused to leave, so I was kind enough to bring him clothes,” Blade says, moving to lean against the window frame. “But I blame the incompetent staff for your long nap, and your night nurse is a fucking bitch.”

“Maybe don’t swear at people,” I sigh.

“Even I know she has no bedside manner. Last night, she tried to take my food away. Bitch would’ve choked on a cheeseburger if you didn’t stop me.”

“You stopped him?” Rain laughs and then groans.

“I was trying to reason with him,” I sigh. “Which I realised doesn’t work. I then told him security would kick him out if he continued to be a bloody wanker, to which he said he’d just shoot his way back in. By the time our argument was over, she had already left the room.”

“Without my cheeseburger,” Blade adds.

Blade and I may never get along, and his plan to bring Rain’s ex-girlfriend here isn’t something I’m looking forward to, but I’ll tolerate Rain’s psycho brother, for Rain’s sake.

“Wait, Blade, you said Rome refused to leave.” Rain’s dark eyes move to me. “Baby, you had training.”

I lie down next to him, wiping away the tear gliding down my cheek. “My coach is furious but understands. I’ll probably be benched next game, but I don’t care. I wouldn’t be anywhere else but here.”

I guess I know what love feels like now. It’s all-consuming. It’s irrational. It’s dangerous and sacrificial.

I don’t want to spend a day without him by my side. I can’t go a second without thinking about him—I guess I haven’t since that first night. He’s been there for me through everything, every bad moment, every good.

He’s given me so much. I no longer feel that nauseating shame in the pit of my stomach. I can feel like I’m falling to pieces, and he’ll hold me together through it. He’s shed light on things I didn’t particularly want to see but needed to. When it came to his family, he put me first.

He didn’t think twice about taking the fall for me so my career wasn’t impacted. I was left drowning in shame because of Connor, and Rain hurt him purely because he’d hurt me. I can’t express to him how grateful I am to feel him there and know I’ll never sink as far as I think I will.

I only hope I give him as much as he does me, and lying here, watching tears well in his eyes as he stares at me, I’ve never been more thankful to be me.

Chapter fifty-seven

RAIN

“Don’t you dare,” Rome warns from the driver’s seat as I reach for the door handle.

Taking his bag from the back seat, he drapes it across his chest once he’s out the door and moving toward my side. I grit my teeth through the pain stabbing in my lower back as he helps me out of the car and wraps an arm around me while we walk toward the stadium entrance.

I got what I wanted: Rome Aston kneeling beside me, frantic and paranoid for my wellbeing. It almost cost me my life, but it was worth it. We had an argument while I was getting dressed in my black slacks and his jersey. I’ve been out of hospital just over a week and he refused to let me come to his game, stating that I ‘need time to heal’. Like fuck am I missing his game. He was benched the entire game last week because of me. They lost 2-0, so maybe now his coach will understand how critical Rome is to their team’s success.

He’s proud to call me his boyfriend, and I’m proud to admit I swoon each time he says it. He posted a picture of us from few nights ago on his socials—we’d just fucked, and he was lying on top of me, smiling against my mouth. His caption read, Mine alongside a white heart emoji.

I took him on a real date last night. I wanted to pull out his chair, but he refused and pulled out mine, helping me sit down. The server went to help, and he gave her the stink eye the second she touched me. I was instantly hard when he told her, ‘The only person that is allowed to touch my boyfriend is me. Back. Up.’

Once we arrived home, I held up my end of the deal. He fucked me, and I fucking loved it. He was gentle because he didn’t want to hurt me, but the slow pace of it made me come harder than I ever have.

Cameras flash when we enter the building, and those adorable dimples indent his cheeks. Apparently, Rome becoming so confident in his sexuality helped another player on his team find the courage to come out as bisexual, and I think he’s beginning to understand that by simply being himself, he’s inspiring everyone around him.

I blink rapidly trying to get rid of the residual flash once we’re in a more secure area.

“You’ll get used to it,” Rome teases.

I grin when he moves in front of me, softly pressing his lips to mine.